Latest H1N1 numbers show kids, teens are hard-hit

State health officials released new data Tuesday on the more than 1,800 patients who have been hospitalized so far with H1N1 influenza.

Minnesota Health Commissioner Sanne Magnan said 44 percent of the patients were under the age of 18, and nearly half of that group had no known medical conditions prior to contracting the virus.

Magnan said the statistics show that children and young adults have been hit especially hard by H1N1. She says the statistics are a reminder that getting vaccinated is about protecting more than yourself.

"You might say, 'Well I'm healthy and I think I could take care of the flu.' However, you might be giving influenza to someone else," said Magnan. "You might be interacting with a child who has asthma. You might come into contact with someone who's pregnant or has diabetes or an underlying condition."

Magnan received her H1N1 vaccination Tuesday at the Ramsey County Public Health Center in St. Paul.

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